There is no one month in which all fruit trees should be pruned because each variety has different needs, and there are different reasons for pruning, whether it is pruning leaf growth to encourage fruiting for existing trees or to encourage a young tree to bear fruit. Or maybe your fruit tree has damaged, weak or diseased branches and needs pruning now?
While most of us consider pruning fruit trees a winter gardening act, some will benefit from summer pruning.
We asked the experts for their advice on when to prune fruit trees by variety, and when to do it in the summer and winter when the trees are mature and young. So, if you want to keep your best fruit trees looking their best, this is what you should know.
When to prune fruit trees
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There is an easy distinction between fruit trees that can guide you when you prune them:
‘Fruit trees with stonessuch as peaches, cherries, and plums It is best to prune them in spring or summer so that they do not fall prey to diseases such as bacterial canker and silver leaf infection homes and gardensResident kitchen gardening expert and garden writer Drew Swinston.
Fruit trees with dotssuch as pears, quince, and apples, in general Prune in the winter.
Drew qualified as a journalist and wrote for several websites and publications before studying for a horticulture qualification. He worked as a professional gardener for several years, specializing in kitchen gardening. He now brings his experience and passion to… homes and gardens as a member of our team.
When to prune fruit trees by variety?
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- apples It is pruned every winter. This will encourage new shoots and fruiting wood for the following season. Flat trees and other trained apple trees, such as fans and hoops, need pruning in mid-summer to encourage fruiting wood; This should be repeated in winter to help them maintain their neat shape and to remove cross branches. You can read more about pruning apple trees, when to prune an apple tree, and pruning peeled apples in our separate guides.
- apricotIt is one of the best fruit trees to grow in pots, and can be pruned to a neat shape after the buds burst in spring; Then, prune routinely in the summer, once the tree is established.
- CherryYoung trees, including coach cherries, should be pruned in the summer when they are established, although you can prune young trees a little in the spring to help them grow into a neat shape. You can read more about pruning cherry trees in our separate guide.
- citrus fruits Trees are a great choice if you’re looking to grow fruit trees indoors, and they should be pruned in late winter through early spring. You can find out more details about when to prune citrus trees in our separate guide; We also have more advice on when to prune lemon trees and how to prune lemon trees.
- fig It’s best to prune in early spring, once the frost has passed and while the trees are dormant, and again in early summer. We have more information on how to prune a fig tree in our separate guide, but the goal is to remove dead or diseased wood to create a well-shaped tree in the spring, and encourage fruiting in the summer.
- Mediator.
- berriesThese fine red berries are pruned like apples when young, with routine pruning in winter to remove any diseased or dead branches; Once established, they need little pruning.
- nectarines You need to prune annually between late spring and summer, in dry (not humid) weather, to avoid spreading fungal spores.
- peach It can be treated in the same way as nectarines. You can learn more about pruning peach and nectarine trees in our separate guide.
- pearIt is one of the best fast-growing fruit trees and can be treated like an apple. You can learn more about how to prune pear trees in our separate guide.
- plumWhen young, they can be pruned back into shape in the spring; Once established, you only need to prune the plum in summer in dry weather to remove diseased, dead, or crossed branches. You can learn more about when to prune plum trees and how to prune plum trees in our separate guides.
- quince They should be pruned in the winter to create a neat frame when they are young. Once established, pruning is only done to remove diseased, dead, or misplaced buds. The suckers must be ripped at the source.
When is fruit trees pruned in the summer?
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Prune stone fruit trees in mid-summer. There are many reasons for pruning fruit trees with stones in the summer, including:
To keep the tree looking neat
“Most summer pruning fruit trees need to cut back about half to three-quarters of each young shoot; not only should this improve appearance, but it will ensure that less new wood is produced and more flower buds are formed,” says Drew Swinston. , thus producing fruit instead.”
Improve fruit quantities
“Overgrowth of leaves may result in sporadic or poor fruiting,” says Drew. Pruning in the summer will revitalize the tree to help it produce more fruit of better quality.
Improve the color and flavor of the fruit
Drew continues, “Pruning stone fruit trees in the summer will also allow more light to reach the developing fruit, improving their color and possibly flavor.”
to avoid the spread of disease
“Prune stone fruits only in spring or summer, when they are in active growth, if you want to avoid allowing silver leaf disease to develop.”
When is pruning fruit trees in the winter?
Point pruning of fruit trees in the winter while they are dormant allows the branches to recover before the growth period resumes. Among the reasons for pruning in winter are the following:
to encourage growth
“Pruning fruit trees once the sap runs low means a drain on fewer resources than if you left them until the sap rises and the buds begin to swell at the end of winter,” says Bob Flowerdew. Amateur gardeningOrganic gardening expert.
To reduce the chance of damage
Bob continues to prune fruit trees in winter to “minimize their chances of damage and aerial rock fractures.” “Plants expect damage in the winter so they are equipped to deal with it.”
to help them maintain their shape
Pope concludes, “Trained fruits such as apples and pears will need pruning in winter, as if these fruits are left they soon lose their shape – cut almost all of their shoots back to seed only, and leave those needed to extend the frameworks.”
When to prune young fruit trees
Young fruit trees, whether stone or seed, need “formative pruning” to help them maintain their shape. To do this, snip off the central ‘leader’ branch, and shorten the tips of spreading branches to form a strong silhouette.
Formative pruning of young apple and pear trees should be done in winter. Small stone fruits should be pruned in the spring before the buds burst. Once established, summer pruning will be required.
When to prune existing fruit trees
Established trees (five years and older) should be pruned in winter, keeping the center of the tree open to promote growth and fruiting buds.
common questions
Can you prune fruit trees too much?
You can prune fruit trees often; If anything, it’s best to trim them back a bit. Some fruit trees, such as some apple and quince trees, bear fruit on their tips, so pruning them may produce fewer fruits.
What Fruit Trees Should Not Be Pruned?
Once established, the following fruit trees should not be pruned or pruned minimally: tip apple, medlar, raspberry, plum, and quince.
When pruning fruit trees, it is essential to make a clean cut to avoid damaging the branches, which may cause disease and branch breakage. For this, you may need telescopic pruning shears, such as those offered by Amazon. They are a good safety buy, as they will ensure that you do not balance on a wobbly ladder while leaning against a tree.